Joseph Priestley - Discovery of Oxygen Joseph Priestley By Mary Bellis Updated August 06, 2016. As a clergyman, Joseph Priestley was considered an unorthodox philosopher, he supported the French Revolution and his unpopular views caused his home and chapel in Leeds, England, being burned in 1791. Priestley moved to Pennsylvania in 1794. Joseph Priestley was a friend of Benjamin Franklin , who like Franklin was experimenting with electricity before turning his full attention to chemistry in the 1770s. Joseph Priestley - Co-Discovery of Oxygen Priestley was the first chemist to prove that oxygen was essential to combustion and along with Swede Carl Scheele is credited with the discovery of oxygen by isolating oxygen in its gaseous state. Priestley named the gas "dephlogisticated air", later renamed oxygen by Antoine Lavoisier. Joseph Priestley also discovered hydrochloric acid, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. Soda Water In 1767, the first drinkable manmade glass of carbonated water (soda water) was invented by Joseph Priestley.

Joseph Priestley published a paper called Directions for Impregnating Water with Fixed Air (1772), which explained how to make soda water. continue reading below our video 5 Best Places to Retire However, Priestley did not exploit the business potential of any soda water products. Joseph Priestley - The Eraser April 15, 1770, Joseph Priestley recorded his discovery of Indian gum's ability to rub out or erase lead pencil marks. He wrote, "I have seen a substance excellently adapted to the purpose of wiping from paper the mark of black lead pencil." These were the first erasers which Priestley called a "rubber". Introduction to Pop - The History of Soft Drinks Introduction to Pop Introduction to Pop - The History of Soft Drinks Soft drinks can trace their history back to the mineral water found in springs. Jeffrey Coolidge/ Iconica/ Getty Images By Mary Bellis Updated August 10, 2016. Soft drinks can trace their history back to the mineral water found in natural springs. Bathing in natural springs has long been considered a healthy thing to do; and mineral water was said to have curative powers.

Scientists soon discovered that gas carbonium or carbon dioxide was behind the bubbles in natural mineral water. The first marketed soft drinks (non-carbonated) appeared in the 17th century. They were made from water and lemon juice sweetened with honey. In 1676, the Compagnie de Limonadiers of Paris were granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks. Vendors would carry tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to thirsty Parisians. Joseph Priestley In 1767, the first drinkable man-made glass of carbonated water was created by Englishmen Doctor Joseph Priestley . Three years later, Swedish chemist Torbern Bergman invented a generating apparatus that made carbonated water from chalk by the use of sulfuric acid. continue reading below our video 5 Best Places to Retire Bergman's apparatus allowed imitation mineral water to be produced in large amounts. John Mathews In 1810, the first United States patent was issued for the "means of mass manufacture of imitation mineral waters" to Simons and Rundell of Charleston, South Carolina.

However, carbonated beverages did not achieve great popularity in America until 1832, when John Mathews invented his apparatus for the making carbonated water. John Mathews then mass-manufactured his apparatus for sale to soda fountain owners. Health Properties of Mineral Water The drinking of either natural or artificial mineral water was considered a healthy practice. The American pharmacists selling mineral waters began to add medicinal and flavorful herbs to unflavored mineral water. They used birch bark, dandelion, sarsaparilla, and fruit extracts. Some historians consider that the first flavored carbonated soft drink was that made in 1807 by Doctor Philip Syng Physick of Philadelphia. Early American pharmacies with soda fountains became a popular part of culture. The customers soon wanted to take their "health" drinks home with them and a soft drink bottling industry grew from consumer demand. The Soft Drink Bottling Industry Over 1,500 U.S. patents were filed for either a cork, cap, or lid for the carbonated drink bottle tops during the early days of the bottling industry. Carbonated drink bottles are under a lot of pressure from the gas.

Inventors were trying to find the best way to prevent the carbon dioxide or bubbles from escaping. In 1892, the "Crown Cork Bottle Seal" was patented by William Painter, a Baltimore machine shop operator. It was the first very successful method of keeping the bubbles in the bottle. Automatic Production of Glass Bottles In 1899, the first patent was issued for a glass-blowing machine for the automatic production of glass bottles. Earlier glass bottles had all been hand-blown. Four years later, the new bottle-blowing machine was in operation. It was first operated by the inventor, Michael Owens, an employee of Libby Glass Company. Within a few years, glass bottle production increased from 1,500 bottles a day to 57,000 bottles a day. Hom-Paks and Vending Machines During the 1920s, the first "Hom-Paks" were invented. "Hom-Paks" are the familiar six-pack beverage carrying cartons made from cardboard. Automatic vending machines also began to appear in the 1920s. The soft drink had become an American mainstay.

Experiments with Priestley's Soda Water Go to Microscale Gas Chemistry Home Page In 1767 Joseph Priestley moved next door to a brewery in Leeds, England. Soon after, he began a series of experiments with the brewery gas that was called mephitic air or fixed air, the name given by Joseph Black. He had brewery workers perform experiments with candles, burning pieces of wood and the like. In one experiment, Priestley placed a bowl of water above the surface of the fermenting liquor and it quickly developed a pleasant sweet acidic taste not unlike that of Seltzer mineral water. By the end of 1767, Priestley was sharing the treated water with friends. In 1772, Priestley announced his invention of soda-water in his publication Impregnating Water with Fixed Air. His instructions are clear and easy to follow: ï¿½If water be only in contact with fixed air, it will begin to imbibe it, but the mixture is greatly accelerated by agitation, which is continually bringing fresh particles of air and water into contact.

All that is necessary, therefore, to make this process expeditious and effectual, is first to procure a sufficient quantity of this fixed air, and then to contrive a method by which the air and water may be strongly agitated in the same vessel, without any danger of admitting the common air to them; and this is easily done by first filling any vessel with water, and introducing the fixed air to it, while it stands inverted in another vessel of water.ï¿½ Apparatus used by Priestleyï¿½s for making soda water. This figure appeared in ï¿½Impregnating Water with Fixed Airï¿½ One incentive for developing such a method was that it was believed that the drink might prevent scurvy. Priestley improved upon his method for producing soda-water and with the simple equipment shown at right, he was able to cause water to absorb its own volume of fixed air within 30 minutes. Joseph Priestley is one of the more fascinating figures in the history of chemistry.

He was a minister with controversial theories that were not endorsed by his congregations; he was an active member of the Lunar Society, a scientific discussion group that met at the time of every full moon; and he supported the French and American revolutions. Until recently, books on the history of chemistry were the only source of information about Priestley and his contemporaries. Nowadays, the internet contains enormous amounts of information about these individuals. Reading/research assignments featuring historical figures such as Joseph Priestley would enhance studentsï¿½ appreciation for chemistry and science as a humanistic endeavor. bottle of sparkling water or sugar-free carbonated beverage limewater, 1 mL middle school lab, high school lab, university lab, and classroom demonstration Applications, Topics, Purpose classification of matter (homogeneous/heterogeneous solutions), physical and chemical changes and properties, chemical formulas, mole calculations involving solutions, percent composition, chemical formulas, chemical reactions, classifying chemical changes, properties of carbon dioxide, solutions, solution equilibrium Instructions Remove the plunger from a syringe and place the syringe cap onto the syringe. While holding the syringe at a 45ï¿½ angle, slowly pour sparkling water (or a carbonated beverage) into the syringe barrel.

Try to avoid causing the solution to lose bubbles excessively. After the syringe has been filled to the 20 mL mark, insert the plunger just past the ï¿½catchï¿½ ridge inside the barrel ï¿½ listen for the ï¿½clickï¿½. Rotate the syringe so that the cap is directed upward. Open the cap and discharge all of the air but none of the carbonated beverage. Cap the syringe. Note the volume of the liquid. Withdraw the plunger and notice the gas coming out of the solution. Tapping the solution will cause more bubbles to leave the solution. After most of the gas has been driven out of the solution, you are ready to measure the relative amounts of carbon dioxide and liquid. If the plunger is free-moving (does not stick), pull the plunger outward to create a negative pressure and then release it. It should return to an equilibrium position where the internal pressure and external pressure are similar. Read the volumes. If the plunger sticks and moves in increments, proceed as follows: 1. Read the volume of liquid present, 2.

Hold the plunger outward so that the contents are under reduced pressure and remove the syringe cap under water (this assures that the internal and external pressures are the same); 3. Read the volume of gas in the syringe. Test the carbon dioxide The test for CO2(g) utilizes limewater. It is also possible to test for CO2(aq): Add 1 mL limewater to a small test tube. Add 3 drops of sparkling water to form a white precipitate of calcium carbonate. Teaching tips middle school lab, high school lab, university lab, and classroom demonstration Applications, Topics, Purpose classification of matter (homogeneous/heterogeneous solutions), physical and chemical changes and properties, chemical formulas, percent composition, chemical formulas, chemical reactions, properties of carbon dioxide, solutions, the dissolving process, solution equilibrium, acid anhydrides Instructions Draw 30 mL water into a syringe containing 30 mL carbon dioxide. Record the combined volume ï¿½ which should be 60 mL. Gently rock the syringe back and forth while it is held in a horizontal position (maximizing the surface area between the water and the gas. Within less than a minute the volume of carbon dioxide will decrease.

If the plunger does not move freely, push it inward until there is resistance due to positive pressure inside the syringe. Let go of the plunger and it will return to a volume less than its previous value. Carbon dioxide is dissolving in the water. Continue to gently rock the solution, but never shake it. Continue to note the volume of carbon dioxide as a function of time. The reaction that is taking place is: CO2(g) CO2(aq) pH test Test the resulting solution for pH using Universal indicator. Dissolve a few drops of universal indicator solution to 2 mL water in a test tube. Transfer 2 - 3 mL of the aqueous solution into the test tube. Note the color change and compare the colors to the color chart for the Universal indicator. The solution is acidic because carbon dioxide is an acid anhydride ï¿½ it forms a small amount of carbonic acid when it dissolves: CO2(aq) + H2O(l) EXPERIMENT 3.

FREEZING CARBONATED BEVERAGES PRODUCES ï¿½SNOWYï¿½ ICE Equipment 4 L (1 gallon) sealable plastic bag freezer Chemicals bottle of sparkling water or sugar-free carbonated beverage or CO2(aq) solution (in the syringe) from the previous experiment Suitability classroom demonstration Applications, Topics, Purpose matter, classification of matter (homogeneous/heterogeneous solutions), physical and chemical changes and properties, chemical formulas, properties of carbon dioxide, the dissolving process Instructions Joseph Priestley noted that soda water looked more like snow than ice when frozen. Fill one syringe with 30 mL water, but no air. Fill a second syringe with 30 mL sparkling water as was done in Experiment 1: While holding the syringe at a 45o angle, slowly pour sparkling water (or a carbonated beverage) into the syringe barrel. Try to avoid causing the solution to lose bubbles excessively. After the syringe has been filled to the 30 mL mark, insert the plunger just past the ï¿½catchï¿½ ridge inside the barrel (listen for the ï¿½clickï¿½).

Rotate the syringe so that the cap is directed upward. Open the cap and discharge all of the air but none of the carbonated beverage. Cap the syringe. Place both syringes inside the sealable bag and place them in the freezer. Check after 30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc. Water will freeze into a clear plug with little noticeable volume change ï¿½ still 30 mL. Sparkling water, however, will discharge carbon dioxide as it freezes causing the plunger to move outward and the ice formed to ï¿½look like snowï¿½. It is white and grainy with numerous holes ï¿½ pockets of carbon dioxide gas. After the liquids are completely frozen (overnight), remove them from the freezer. Remove the syringe cap and hold the syringes under hot water in order to remove the plunger. Add a 10 - 20 mL hot water to the syringe in order to melt part of the solid so that the ice plug can be poured out of the syringe for closer inspection. The water ice plug will appear clear, solid and hard. The sparkling water ice plug is crumbly and easily broken.

One can also hear the sparkling water ice plug making fizzing noises. When added to a cup of hot water, some carbon dioxide effervesces from the solid as it melts. The left syringe, labeled "Air" contains tap water that has been frozen. The right syringe labeled "CO2" contains soda water that has been frozen. Teaching tips While the solubility of carbon dioxide, like all gases, is greater in cold water than in hot water, gases are generally far less soluble in solid water. As the sparkling water is cooled and freezes, it releases carbon dioxide and causes the water crystals to separate as they are formed ï¿½ thus forming Priestleyï¿½s soda water snow. Questions 1. Describe the appearance of the two ice samples as they are forming. 2. Why does the plunger move outward in the syringe with the sparkling water (or carbonated beverage)? 3. Would the sparkling water (or carbonated beverage) taste flat after it were allowed to melt? 4. Could the carbonation be returned to the liquid? Explain how. Advanced Questions 5. When ice forms, what type of intermolecular forces are involved? What type of intermolecular forces exist between carbon dioxide and water?

6. Sketch a qualitative graph that shows the solubility of a gas such as carbon dioxide (x-axis) vs. temperature (y-axis) for an aqueous solution of carbon dioxide. EXPERIMENT 4. SPECTACULAR CRYSTALLIZATION OF SUPER-COOLED CARBONATED BEVERAGES. Equipment 3 M NaOH(aq), 1 mL Suitability high school lab, university lab, and classroom demonstration Applications, Topics, Purpose LeChï¿½telierï¿½s principle, rates of chemical reactions (chemical kinetics), solution equilibrium, acids and bases Instructions When CO2(g) dissolves in neutral water, a small portion of it reacts with water to produce carbonic acid, H2CO3(g): CO2(aq) + H2O(l) H2CO3(aq) K25ï¿½ = [H2CO3]/[CO2] = 1.7 x 10-3 At 25 ï¿½C the ratio of CO2 to carbonic acid, [CO2]/[H2CO3], is approximately 600:1. The equilibrium is relatively slow to become established.

At neutral or acidic pH values, the reaction takes place by a first order rate law with a small rate constant: HISTORY OF BEVERAGE: Joseph Priestly (1733 – 1804) invented soda water HISTORY OF BEVERAGE Beverage is a liquid for drinking; drink; usually applied to drink artificially prepared and of an agreeable flavor; as an intoxicating beverage. While the history is a systematic accounts of events particularly of those affecting a nation, institution science or art, and usually connected with philosophical explanation of their causes. In this case the history of beverage means that the systematic account about the development of beverage. Saturday, November 8, 2014 Joseph Priestly (1733 – 1804) invented soda water Aerated water or soda water as it came to be called was but one of Joseph Priestley’s many inventions. In 1767, Joseph Priestly produced the first man made, palatable carbonated water. He produced a carbonated water beverage by pouring water back and forth between two small vessel held in a layer of carbon dioxide over the fermenting mass in a brewery vat. Priestly suggested that carbonated water might be useful in curing or preventing sea scurvy.

The Schweppes Company, the earliest bottler of carbonated water regards Joseph Priestly as ‘the father of our industry’. It was not until 1781 that carbonated water began to be produced on a large scale, with the establishment of companies specialized in producing artificial mineral water. Jacob Schweppes’s association with Priestly in developing ‘aerated’ waters for commercial sale began in Geneva in 1783. The first of these factories was built in Manchester, England, by Thomas Henry. The name ‘soda water’ was introduced after chemist Richard Bewley suggested adding a little soda (sodium carbonate). Joseph Priestly (1733 – 1804) invented soda water Joseph Priestley, Discoverer of Oxygen National Historic Chemical Landmark - American Chemical Society American Chemical Society Joseph Priestley, Discoverer of Oxygen Joseph Priestley and the Discovery of Oxygen International Historic Chemical Landmark Dedicated August 1, 1994, at the Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, USA, and August 7, 2000, at Bowood House in Wiltshire, UK.

Landmark Lesson Plan: Joseph Priestley, Discoverer of Oxygen When Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774, he answered age-old questions of why and how things burn. An Englishman by birth, Priestley was deeply involved in politics and religion, as well as science. When his vocal support for the American and French revolutions made remaining in his homeland dangerous, Priestley left England in 1794 and continued his work in America until his death. Contents “Joseph Priestley Discoverer of Oxygen” commemorative booklet produced by the National Historic Chemical Landmarks program of the American Chemical Society in 2004 (PDF). About Joseph Priestley Some 2,500 years ago, the ancient Greeks identified air — along with earth, fire and water — as one of the four elemental components of creation. That notion may seem charmingly primitive now. But it made excellent sense at the time, and there was so little reason to dispute it that the idea persisted until the late 18th century. It might have endured even longer had it not been for a free-thinking English chemist and maverick theologian named Joseph Priestley.

Priestley (1733-1804) was hugely productive in research and widely notorious in philosophy. He invented carbonated water and the rubber eraser, identified a dozen key chemical compounds, and wrote an important early paper about electricity. His unorthodox religious writings and his support for the American and French revolutions so enraged his countrymen that he was forced to flee England in 1794. He settled in Pennsylvania, where he continued his research until his death. The world recalls Priestley best as the man who discovered oxygen, the active ingredient in our planet's atmosphere. In the process, he helped dethrone an idea that dominated science for 23 uninterrupted centuries: Few concepts "have laid firmer hold upon the mind," he wrote, than that air "is a simple elementary substance, indestructible and unalterable." In a series of experiments culminating in 1774, Priestley found that "air is not an elementary substance, but a composition," or mixture, of gases.

Among them was the colorless and highly reactive gas he called "dephlogisticated air," to which the great French chemist Antoine Lavoisier would soon give the name "oxygen." It is hard to overstate the importance of Priestley's revelation. Scientists now recognize 92 naturally occurring elements-including nitrogen and oxygen, the main components of air. They comprise 78 and 21 percent of the atmosphere, respectively. Engraving of Joseph Priestley by Charles Turner, after a painting by Henry Fuseli. Courtesy The Edgar Fahs Smith Memorial Collection, The University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Understanding the Composition of Air In the mid-18th century, the concept of an element was still evolving. Researchers had distinguished no more than two dozen or so elements, depending on who was doing the counting. It wasn't clear how air fit into that system. Nobody knew what it was, and researchers kept finding that it could be converted into such a variety of forms that they routinely spoke of different "airs." The principal method for altering the nature of air, early chemists learned, was to heat or burn some compound in it. The second half of the 1700s witnessed an explosion of interest in such gases.

The steam engine was in the process of transforming civilization, and scientists of all types were fascinated with combustion and the role of air in it. British chemists were especially prolific. In 1754, Joseph Black identified what he called "fixed air" (now known to be carbon dioxide) because it could be returned, or fixed, into the sort of solids from which it was produced. In 1766, a wealthy eccentric named Henry Cavendish produced the highly flammable substance Lavoisier would name hydrogen, from the Greek words for "water maker." Finally in 1772, Daniel Rutherford found that when he burned material in a bell jar, then absorbed all the "fixed" air by soaking it up with a substance called potash, a gas remained. Rutherford dubbed it "noxious air" because it asphyxiated mice placed in it. Today, we call it nitrogen. But none of those revelations alone tells the whole story. The next major discovery would come from a man whose early life gave no indication that he would become one of the greatest experimental chemists in history.

Back to top Bubbling Beverages In 1767, Priestley was offered a ministry in Leeds, Englane, located near a brewery. This abundant and convenient source of "fixed air” — what we now know as carbon dioxide — from fermentation sparked his lifetime investigation into the chemistry of gases. He found a way to produce artificially what occurred naturally in beer and champagne: water containing the effervescence of carbon dioxide. The method earned the Royal Society's coveted Copley Prize and was the precursor of the modern soft-drink industry. Oxygen and Other Discoveries in England Joseph Priestley was born in Yorkshire, the eldest son of a maker of wool cloth. His mother died after bearing six children in six years. Young Joseph was sent to live with his aunt, Sarah Priestley Keighley, until the age of 19. She often entertained Presbyterian clergy at her home, and Joseph gradually came to prefer their doctrines to the grimmer Calvinism of his father. Before long, he was encouraged to study for the ministry. And study, as it turned out, was something Joseph Priestley did very well.

Aside from what he learned in the local schools, he taught himself Latin, Greek, French, Italian, German and a smattering of Middle Eastern languages, along with mathematics and philosophy. This preparation would have been ideal for study at Oxford or Cambridge, but as a Dissenter (someone who was not a member of the Church of England) Priestley was barred from England's great universities. So he enrolled at Daventry Academy, a celebrated school for Dissenters, and was exempted from a year of classes because of his achievements. After graduation, he supported himself, as he would for the rest of his life, by teaching, tutoring and preaching. His first full-time teaching position was at the Dissenting Academy in Warrington. (Although obviously brilliant, original, outspoken and, by one report, of "a gay and airy disposition," Priestley had an unpleasant voice and a sort of stammer. That he made a living through lectures and sermons is further evidence of his extraordinary nature.) In 1762, he was ordained and married Mary Wilkinson, the daughter of a prominent iron-works owner.

She was, he noted, "of an excellent understanding, much improved by reading, of great fortitude and strength of mind, and of a temper in the highest degree affectionate and generous; feeling strongly for others and little for herself." Priestley traveled regularly to London, and became acquainted with numerous men of science and independent thought, including an ingenious American named Benjamin Franklin, who became a lifelong friend. Franklin encouraged Priestley in his research, one result of which was The History and Present State of Electricity. For that work, and his growing reputation as an experimenter, Priestley was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766. The History book was too tough for a popular audience, and Priestley determined to write a more accessible one. But he could find no one to create the necessary illustrations. So, in typical fashion, he taught himself perspective drawing. Along the way, he made many mistakes, and discovered that India rubber would erase lead pencil lines — a fact he mentioned in the preface. By the age of 34, Priestley was a well-established and respected member of Britain's scientific community. He was still paying a price for his religious nonconformity, however.

When the explorer Captain James Cook was preparing for his second voyage, Priestley was offered the position of science adviser. But the offer was rescinded under pressure from Anglican authorities who protested his theology, which was evolving into a strongly Unitarian position that denied the doctrine of the trinity. In retrospect, the Cook affair may have been all for the best. In 1773, the Earl of Shelburne asked Priestley to serve as a sort of intellectual companion, tutor for the earl's offspring, and librarian for his estate, Bowood House. The position provided access to social and political circles Priestley could never have gained on his own, while leaving ample free time for the research that would earn him a permanent place in scientific history. He systematically analyzed the properties of different "airs" using the favored apparatus of the day: an inverted container on a raised platform that could capture the gases produced by various experiments below it. The container could also be placed in a pool of water or mercury, effectively sealing it, and a gas tested to see if it would sustain a flame or support life. In the course of these experiments, Priestley made an enormously important observation.

A flame went out when placed in a jar in which a mouse would die due to lack of air. Putting a green plant in the jar and exposing it to sunlight would "refresh" the air, permitting a flame to burn and a mouse to breathe. Perhaps, Priestley wrote, "the injury which is continually done by such a large number of animals is, in part at least, repaired by the vegetable creation." Thus he observed that plants release oxygen into the air — the process known to us as photosynthesis. On August 1, 1774, he conducted his most famous experiment. Using a 12-inch-wide glass "burning lens," he focused sunlight on a lump of reddish mercuric oxide in an inverted glass container placed in a pool of mercury. The gas emitted, he found, was "five or six times as good as common air." In succeeding tests, it caused a flame to burn intensely and kept a mouse alive about four times as long as a similar quantity of air. Priestley called his discovery "dephlogisticated air" on the theory that it supported combustion so well because it had no phlogiston in it, and hence could absorb the maximum amount during burning.

(The year before, Swedish apothecary Carl Wilhelm Scheele isolated the same gas and observed a similar reaction. Scheele called his material "fire air." But his findings were not published until 1777.) Whatever the gas was called, its effects were remarkable. "The feeling of it in my lungs," Priestley wrote, "was not sensibly different from that of common air, but I fancied that my breast felt peculiarly light and easy for some time afterwards. Who can tell but that in time, this pure air may become a fashionable article in luxury. Hitherto only two mice and myself have had the privilege of breathing it." Back to top Phlogiston and Fire In the mid-18th century, the most pressing issue in chemistry and physics was to determine what exactly happens when something burns. The prevailing theory was that flammable materials contained a substance called “phlogiston” (from the Greek word for burn) that was released during combustion. The theory held that when a candle burned, for example, phlogiston was transferred from it to the surrounding air. When the air became saturated with phlogiston and could contain no more, the flame went out.

Breathing, too, was a way to remove phlogiston from a body. A typical test for the presence of phlogiston was to place a mouse in a container and measure how long it lived. When the air in the container could accept no more phlogiston, the mouse would die. The 19th century scientist Antoine Lavoisier disproved the existence of phlogiston and helped to form the basis of modern chemistry using Joseph Priestley’s discovery of oxygen. Pneumatic trough and other equipment used by Joseph Priestley in his experiments on oxygen and other gases. Reproduced from Joseph Priestley's book Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air, 1774-1786. Religion and Emigration to America As luck would have it, Lord Shelburne was setting off on a trip to the European continent and took Priestley along. In France, Priestley met Lavoisier and described his discovery. It turned out to be the clue Lavoisier needed to develop his theory of chemical reactions — the "revolution" in chemistry that would finally dispel the phlogiston theory.

Burning substances, Lavoisier argued, did not give off phlogiston; they took on Priestley's gas, which Lavoisier called "oxygen" from the Greek word for acid-maker. By then, however, Priestley had returned to England, where he escalated his support for the American Revolution and for highly unorthodox religious views. Those positions were a source of embarrassment for Lord Shelburne. Priestley left his service in 1780, moving to Birmingham and taking a position as head of a liberal congregation called New Meeting. His new location brought him into contact with numerous luminaries including Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles, the great architect of evolutionary theory. James Watt and Matthew Boulton — who were about to transform society with their steam engine — were there, as was Josiah Wedgwood, the famous potter, who supported Priestley's chemical experiments. Birmingham also boasted a distinguished scientific discussion group, the Lunar Society, which met on nights of a full moon so that the members could see their way home. Priestley's encouragement of the French Revolution, together with his increasingly controversial theology and attacks on the doctrine of the trinity, eventually became too notorious for safety.

In 1791, an alcohol-fueled mob of royalists burned the New Meeting house, and then Priestley's home. The scientist and his family barely escaped. They fled to London, but eventually it proved no safer. Priestley's sons could not find work and emigrated to Pennsylvania, where they hoped to found a center for free-thinking Englishmen. Finally Joseph and Mary followed them, setting sail for America on April 8, 1794. Priestley turned down the offer of a teaching position at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and instead built a house in the remote hamlet of Northumberland to be near his sons. The area was decidedly rustic. There Priestley continued his research, isolating carbon monoxide (which he called "heavy inflammable air") and founding the Unitarian Church in the United States. For the most part, he led a quiet and reflective life — especially after his friend Thomas Jefferson was elected president in 1800.

During his final trip to Philadelphia, he told the Philosophical Society that "having been obliged to leave a country which has been long distinguished by discoveries in science, I think myself happy by my reception in another which is following its example, and which already affords a prospect of its arriving at equal eminence." His words proved prophetic. A colloquium held on the centennial of Priestley's discovery of oxygen led to the founding of the American Chemical Society —today the world's largest scientific society — in 1876. On February 3, 1804, Priestley began an experiment, but found himself too weak to continue. He went to his bed in his library, never again to emerge. On February 6, he summoned one of his sons and an assistant. He dictated some changes in a manuscript. When he was satisfied with the revisions, he said "That is right. I have now done." Minutes later he died painlessly, ending what Jefferson called "one of the few lives precious to mankind." Anti-Priestley cartoon reading "Doctor Phlogiston, The Priestley politician or the Political Priest!" Reproduced courtesy of the Library of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Portrait of Joseph Priestley (undated). Reproduced courtesy of the Library of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Landmark Designation and Acknowledgments Landmark Designation The American Chemical Society dedicated the Joseph Priestley House a National Historic Chemical Landmark on August 1, 1994. The plaque commemorating the event reads: Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) — Unitarian minister, teacher, author, natural philosopher, discoverer of oxygen, and friend of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson — supervised the construction of this house and laboratory from 1794 to 1798, then lived and worked here until his death in 1804. His library of some 1,600 volumes and his chemical laboratory, where he first isolated carbon monoxide, were probably the best in the country at that time. As suggested by Edgar Fahs Smith in 1920, the Joseph Priestley House has become "a Mecca for all who would look back to the beginnings of chemical research" in America.

The American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry dedicated the Discovery of Oxygen by Joseph Priestley an International Historic Chemical Landmark on August 7, 2000, in Wiltshire, UK. The plaque commemorating the event reads: Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) — Unitarian minister, teacher, author, and natural philosopher — was the Earl of Shelburne's librarian and tutor to his sons. In this room, then a working laboratory, Priestley pursued his investigations of gases. On 1 August 1774 he discovered oxygen. Twenty years later he emigrated to America where he continued his research at his home and laboratory in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Acknowledgments: Adapted for the internet from “The Joseph Priestley House,” produced by the National Historic Chemical Landmarks program of the American Chemical Society in 1994 and “Bowood House,” produced by the National Historic Chemical Landmarks program of the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2000. Back to top Cite this Page American Chemical Society International Historic Chemical Landmarks. Discovery of Oxygen by Joseph Priestley. (accessed Month Day, Year).

The invention of soda water The Invention of Soda Water mixers 0 Comments “The crowning merit of soda-water…is it’s democracy. The millionaire may drink champagne while the poor man drinks beer, but they both drink soda water” – Anon. Before the Aspirin was invented in 1898, common digestive problems such as dyspepsia or indigestion were best alleviated with a glass or two of natural volcanic spring water, rich as it is with natural minerals. That said, not everyone had a volcano available when they needed it. It was the curiosity of these naturally effervescent waters that drove initial experimentation into the first carbonated drinks. Illustration from Directions for Impregnating Water with Fixed Air by Joseph Priestley, 1772 Priestley’s apparatus for impregnating water with fixed air In 1767, the well reputed English chemist Joseph Priestley (who would be better remembered for isolating oxygen in its gaseous state) was the first to artificially carbonate water by hanging a filled vessel over a fermentation vat at a brewery in Leeds (fermentation vats naturally give off CO2 in the process of converting sugars into low alcohol).

This initial success led to further experimentation and a published paper entitled, Impregnating Water with Fixed Air. The paper described a means of chemical carbonation by dripping vitriol (sulfuric acid) into powdered chalk (calcium carbonate) producing CO2 gas. This gas was then infused into agitated water, inducing a reaction and effervescence. Even though Priestley didn’t try to market the process commercially he did give the method and ingredients to Captain James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific, in hope of its ability to alleviate scurvy. Despite the fact this didn’t work, Cook and his crew where potentially the first to produce carbonated water for reasons other than experimentation – albeit not a lot. Priestley’s paper would however capture the eye of a young German watchmaker in Geneva, Switzerland, who would ultimately bring Priestley’s science to the masses. His name was Johann Jacob Schweppe. After further experimentation, Schweppe was able to simplify carbonation through the application of two common compounds – sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid. Schweppe branded this process the Geneva System and in 1783, would leave watch-making behind and set up mass production under the new Schweppes brand.

These early waters were sold under the guise of medicinal remedies, needless to say the true effects only aided in hydrating patients, not healing them. After his initial success in Switzerland, Schweppe moved his company to England in 1792 where he set up his first mass production factory in London at 141 Drury Lane, marketing three different strengths of bubbles; For the dinner table to relieve biliousness (digestion pain). For patients afflicted with nephritic syndrome (kidney disorder). For sufferers with violent bladder or kidney stone distress. Schweppes carbonation machine or “Geneva Apparatus” (click to enlarge) Schweppes & Co. Hamilton Bottle c.1840 – Editors Collection Schweppes’ product was made all the more unique thanks to a patented torpedo shaped bottle invented by a William Hamilton (c.1814). Initially made out of earthenware, Schweppes discovered that gas slowly escaped through the porous stone and so turned to glass for his solution. Thanks to the round base of the Hamilton, the bottles were stored on their side ensuring the cork stoppers remains wet and therefore retained their swollen seal against escaping gas.

These bottles could be initially purchased for 6 shillings, 6 pennies which according to National Archives, equates to around £20.40 in today’s currency. As the secret and popularity of carbonation spread, many replications of the Hamilton bottle were produced but only the original would bear the name Schweppes & Co. The Hamilton would continue to provide the perfect storage for carbonated water until 1872 when Hiran Codd from Camberwell, London invented a new genius patent. Known as the Codd Neck Bottle or Globe Stopper Bottle, the design utilised a pinched neck containing a marble inside which, once filled with carbonated water, would be pushed against a rubber seal in the spout by the build up of gas, creating an impregnable seal. To prevent the marble getting in the way when pouring, additional pinched stoppers were placed on one side of the neck in which the marble would rest when poured correctly. Codd bottle by Lewes Bros, Wales c.1900 – Editors Collection To first open the bottle with marble sealed in place, a small wooden stake called a wallop was used to clear the marble of the neck allowing for free pouring. Crafty.

Needless to say, the bottles became a huge success throughout most of Europe with even breweries utilising the design to retain the effervescence in their beer. Some claim that from this use lies the etymology of the term “codswallop” (meaning nonsense), evolved from the bottle design codd and either an old slang for beer wallop or the tool used to clear the marble. Although popular for many years, most were broken by kids for their marbles and as such the bottles are now popular with collectors of antiquities – especially those of cobalt colouring which can go for a healthy price at auction. Despite the huge popularity and demand for early carbonated water, the liquid was not as clean or palatable as it is today, greatly due to the salty taste imparted into the water from the chemicals used to generate carbonation. Naturally, sweet flavourings were soon added to relieve the palate ensuring that soda water could now be imbibed for not just medicinal reasons but also pleasure. To help retain the bubbles for longer, water could also be infused with sodium bicarbonate separately with the sweet flavouring added with the tartaric acid to ensure the effervescent reaction only began when the two were added.

From these entrepreneurial steps a new popular drink would emerge – the “soda pop”, and the rest they say is history. Joseph Priestley Brief biographical material can be found on the site MSC Role: Joseph Priestley . The InfoPlease.com Encyclopedia has an excellent summary on the history and properties of rubber. Check out the excellent book Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science by Royston M. Roberts (1989, John Wiley and Sons). This book describes Priestley's life and discoveries in great detail. This is a fascinating book. The New York Times has three good articles on Priestley: Chemists at Sesquicentennial Will Honor Joseph Priestley: Famous Scientist, Who Discovered Oxygen and Invented Soda Water, Was Called a Heretic (September 5, 1926, Section VIII, page 14, cloumn 5). Priestley and Oxygen (Editorial: March 13, 1933, page 12, column 3). Topics of The Times: An Early Visitor (June 4, 1954, page 22, column 4). The king of serendipity.

Joseph Priestley was one of those tinkerers that happened to stumble across some of the most important scientific discoveries of all time. That's a picture of him below. Priestley was born near Leeds in England on March 13, 1733 (you're absolutely correct if you've concluded that he has long passed away). He was raised in a strict Calvinist family. While studying to become a minister, he found that his strong liberal beliefs conflicted with his church's teachings. As as result, in 1767, Priestley became a pastor in a small dissenting church in Leeds. Note that Priestley had no real interest in the sciences. In fact, he never took a single formal science course during his entire lifetime. This all changed when he met the one and only Benjamin Franklin, one of the most prominent scientists of the day, while on a trip to London in 1766. Franklin's specialty was electricity (remember the famous, but often exaggerated, kite experiment?). Franklin awakened Priestley's interest in science and they were to become lifelong friends. As a result of this encounter, Priestley began to dabble in the field of electricity.

In 1767 (just one year after meeting Franklin), Priestley made his first major discovery - that graphite can conduct electricity. This may not sound like a big deal, unless you realize that carbon is the main ingredient in modern electrical resistors. That same year he published The History of Electricity. Now, remember that Priestley also became a pastor in Leeds at the same time. He lived next to a brewery and was intrigued by the "air" that floated over the fermenting grain. Priestley didn't know it at the time, but he was about to become one of the most famous chemists of all time. From his first experiment, he was able to show that this brewery gas extinguished lighted wood chips. He also noticed that this gas drifted to the ground around the vat, implying that it was more dense (heavier) than normal air. This gas would later be identified as carbon dioxide. He devised a method to produce the gas back in his home laboratory. When the heavy gas, as he called it, was dissolved in water, he found that it had a very pleasant and tangy taste.

For this invention of soda water, he was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1772 and received a medal from the Royal Society in 1773. Yes, he invented soda pop. (Should we blame him for the cola wars?) In 1772, Priestley made another important discovery. He had placed a shoot of a green plant into a container of water. He then covered the container and lit a candle in it until it completely burned out. Later, Priestley was able to both burn the candle again and keep mice alive in the air (did they have lab mice back then?). Priestley became the first person ever to observe the photosynthesis in plants - the fact that they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Priestley continued to experiment with gases. He devised a new apparatus that allowed him collect gases over mercury. As you may recall from science classes years ago, mercury is a dense liquid at room temperature. Due to this high density, mercury will not absorb gases as easily as water. Priestley floated various materials on top of the mercury and sealed a glass vessel over the top.

He then heated the material with a burning lens (essentially a magnifying glass used to concentrate the sun's rays). One of his first experiments with this device (again in 1772) produced a new gas - nitrous oxide. It didn't take long for people to discover that this gas had unusual effects on people - hence the name laughing gas. Eventually, nitrous oxide would become the first surgical anesthetic, but this discovery was many years away. In 1774, Priestley placed a piece of mercuric oxide into the same test chamber. When he sampled the gas, he found that it had an unusual property - it would burn a candle brightly. All the other gases that he had tested extinguished the flame. Priestley had just discovered what would later be known as oxygen. He called the gas dephlogisticated air, based on the phlogiston theory (the idea that combustion was essentially the process of losing a hypothetical substance known as phlogiston) of the day. In his next experiment, he observed that the green plant material that had grown on the walls of his jars when exposed to sunlight produced a gas.

He quickly identified this unknown gas as the same gas that was released from the heated mercuric oxide. Priestley had just documented the process of photosynthesis. Priestley told French chemist Antoine Lavosier of his discovery. Lavosier repeated Priestley's experiments and eventually proved the phlogiston theory wrong. Lavosier named the gas oxygen. From these experiments, Lavosier summarized his findings into the famous law of conservation of matter - you know this one from high school science - that matter is neither created nor destroyed but is simply changed from one form to another. So, let's summarize to this point. Priestley discovered that graphite was a conductor of electricity, isolated and described the properties of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and oxygen, invented soda pop, identified the gases involved in plant respiration (unifying chemistry and biology), and observed photosynthesis for the first time. This list of accomplishments would guarantee anyone a position in the history books, but Priestley did not stop there. He also isolated and described the properties of ammonia, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, and carbon monoxide for the first time. Added to this long list is the decomposition of ammonia by electricity in 1781.

Yet, the discovery that he made on April 15, 1770 would prove to be the most useful to the common man. On this date Priestley discovered that India gum could be used to rub out lead pencil marks. Yes, he had invented the eraser and gave the material its common name - rubber. Priestley's nonconformist religious and political views eventually ran him into big trouble. His book History of Corruptions of Christianity (1782) was officially burned in 1785. Due to his open support of both the American and French Revolutions, his Burmingham home and church were burned to the ground by an angry mob in 1791. He moved to London, but the persecution continued. Finally, in 1794, Priestley and his family hopped a boat for an eight week voyage and emigrated to the United States. He was enthusiastically received by the scientific and civic bodies of his day. He settled in Northumberland, Pennsylvania and retired to the peaceful life of his writings. Joseph Priestley died quietly in his home on February 6, 1804.

Many scientists feel that Priestley was not a real scientist - he was more of a dabbler in science. He frequently did not see the importance of his discoveries. His real downfall was his continued belief in the phlogiston theory until the day he died. Yet, one cannot deny that his discoveries and research methodology provided the foundation for nearly all scientists that came after him. And to think that he did it all without a scientific education. Maybe that was his advantage. Useless? Useful? I’ll leave that for you to decide. If you liked this story, please check out our Joseph Priestley ( 1733 - 1803 ) Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1803) Nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") was first synthesized by English chemist and natural philosopher Joseph Priestley. Priestley describes the preparation of "nitrous air diminished" by heating iron filings dampened with nitric acid in Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air. 3 vols. London, (1775). Priestley was delighted with his discovery: "I have now discovered an air five or six times as good as common air...

nothing I ever did has surprised me more, or is more satisfactory." But unlike Humphry Davy , Priestley didn't try inhaling the gas to explore its psychoactive effects. Priestley further isolated and described the properties of carbon dioxide, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and "dephlogisticated air". He corresponded with Antoine Lavoisier , who debunked phlogiston theory and re-named "dephlogisticated air" as oxygen . Priestley identified the gases involved in plant respiration, and observed photosynthesis. He also discovered that graphite is a conductor of electricity; and invented a very drinkable beverage of carbonated water, i.e. soda pop. In the 18th century, doctors had very little idea of what caused disease. Its symptoms could sometimes be palliated, but cures were rare. So doctors and other assorted medical men eagerly experimented with the new gases and the vapours of volatile liquids to discover if they conferred any therapeutic benefits, especially for respiratory disease. One of the most prominent investigators was Thomas Beddoes , founder of the Pneumatic Institution (1798).

The Real Truth About Who Invented Soda Pop – The Top 3 Best Soda Makers 2016 Home > Tips And Advice > The Real Truth About Who Invented Soda Pop Published March 18, 2014 by sodaslurp The Real Truth About Who Invented Soda Pop Have you ever wondered who invented soda pop? Well, the answer to this question might be more shocking than you could’ve ever imagined. We all know and love them – yes, we’re talking about soft drinks. Although you can get a less-authentic version from your local McDonalds, we’re discussing the real thing. This is the beverage that it all started with. In The Beginning Did it all begin with this? If we want to go way back, we can trace it all the way back to when it was harvested from mineral springs. However, this doesn’t mean there are geysers that spew sprite or grape soda pop, but that would certainly be something to write about! People used to bathe in mineral water because it was said to have healing properties.

For the longest time, people wondered what makes the bubbles in mineral water, and later, scientists found out that carbon dioxide and gas carbonium were responsible for the bubbles that we observe in mineral water. Some of the very first soft drinks weren’t carbonated, and these were served during the 17th century. Lemon juice and water, which was sweetened with honey, were the first-ever soft drinks served. First Carbonated Drink It was in 1767 that the first-ever carbonated soft drink was created, and it was made by a doctor named Joseph Priestley. It was about three years later when a Swedish chemist created an apparatus that makes carbonated water. It used sulfuric acid and chalk to make the water. Put simply, this apparatus was able to produce an imitation of mineral water, and it could create it in large amounts. It wasn’t until about 1832 that the popularity of carbonated drinks really started to grow. Research shows that the first-ever carbonated soft drink was created in 1807, and it was made by a man named Philip Syng Physick. Many of the earliest pharmacies actually contained pop fountains.

In fact, people actually used to think soft drinks and mineral water had healing properties – they were considered health drinks. After countless years of research, we have a much better understanding of soft drinks and they potential benefits and downsides. What About The Name? In case you’re curious, the phrase ‘soft drink’ was actually derived from the phrase ‘soda water’, which dates back to 1798. It’s really just water that is infused with CO2 or carbon dioxide. When it was first created, it was accomplished by suspending a bowl of water over a vat that contained fermenting beer. However, in 1771, a new and refined process was created by our friend Torbern Bergman. How It’s Made Today Today, this beverage is made a bit differently. The current process involves passing pressurized carbon dioxide through a large container of water with the use of a carbonator. Before the 20th century, the majority of soft drink production was handled by pharmacists because they have experience with medicine and chemistry. It was during 1835 that the first bottle of sugar water was distributed in the US.

As hard as it might be to believe, some of the first soft drinks were laced with cocaine and caffeine. In fact, soda used to be laced with a wide range of substances that, today, are classified as illegal substances. You got to love our human history – right? The first-ever cola-flavored soft drink hit the market during 1881. Root beer was made in 1876. It wasn’t until about 1952 that the official diet soft drink was released. Modern Sugar Water Since it was first created and introduced to the public, pop has come along way. Today, it’s hard to find a store that doesn’t sell some type of this beverage, and some stores sell a wide range of sodas. Have you ever wondered how many cases of soft drinks are sold per year? In 2006, over 10 billion cases of carbonated soft drinks were sold. It’s safe to say that it has really come a long way since its inception. Now that you know the gentleman who created it, all that is left to do is buy your own machine, so you can start making your own soft drinks!

Question: What beverage was invented by Joseph Priestley?
Answer: SODA WATER